An Avenger Named Willa
by Nocturnal Storyteller
Summary: Honestly, Willa did not want to get involved with SHIELD again. She had better things to do - high school to survive, a couple stories to write, a soundtrack to listen to. But with the world at stake... Well she has to help, right? (I know the title stinks. I'm working on it. Tell me if the story is any good! No pairings so far.)
1. Chapter 1

**Tell me if this is any good. I don't have a beta or anything, and I'm pretty young and new at this so I'd love constructive criticism (emphasis on** ** _constructive_** **). Sorry if Coulson is a little OOC.**

Chapter One

Willa was yanked out of a daydream when the music suddenly stopped.

"Hey!" Her eyes snapped open and she frowned (read, pouted) at the face hovering above her. "I was listening to that."

"You're going to go deaf," her mom said. "That cannot be a healthy volume."

She shrugged. "Probably. Dinner ready?"

"Not yet. You have a visitor."

Willa sat up and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. She frowned, trying to think of who would visit her and coming up blank.

"It's Agent Coulson," her mom supplied, making Willa's eyebrows rise. "Tell him you can't do whatever they want you to do. Now… Now is a time you should spend with your family."

She could tell her mom was getting upset thinking about it so she threw herself backward onto the mattress and groaned dramatically.

" _You_ tell him that. I'm listening to the Hamilton Soundtrack!"

It worked. Worry and sadness momentarily faded from her mom's face and a short bout of laughter rang through the air.

"Only you would deny a secret agent audience because you're too lazy to get up."

"I'm not being lazy! I'm… thinking profound thoughts."

"Oh, yeah."

"Yep."

"Like… ?"

Willa thought fast then said in her best superior voice, "Now is not the time for you to know, mortal. You will discover the answer in time."

Her mom laughed again. "Come on, goofball."

"But _Mom_!"

"But _Willa_!"

"Why won't _you_ talk to him?"

"I _did_. He won't listen to me."

"Gah!" She dragged herself to her feet dramatically, grumbling under her breath about pushy secret agents just loud enough for her mom to hear.

Willa Lumaban is a fourteen year old girl, short for her age with a very round face. She sports a very short pixie cut and an unusual power.

"Hello, Mr. Agent Coulson," Willa said brightly as she entered the entryway where he waited. Wait… He's leaning against the wall - the one that is connected to her bedroom… Was he listening in?

Well, it's not like it matters. He didn't learn anything new except that she enjoys Broadway music.

"Hello, Miss Lumaban." He stood up straight and held out a hand.

She shook it. "Nice to see you again." And it was. She genuinely liked Agent Coulson. While waiting for pick-up after a mission, they had bonded over a Harry Potter marathon.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I'm afraid it's not a social call," Coulson admitted. "How are you feeling?"

She ignored the question. "What could it be, if not a social call, Mr. Agent? SHIELD is well aware that I am _retired_."

"We know. However, we need your help."

"Find someone else."

"At least hear me out?"

"Damn it, Coulson. Can't SHIELD just leave me to die in peace?"

Agent Coulson flinched, as if she'd slapped him, and a gasp alerted Willa to the fact her mother was behind her. She wanted to eat her words.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. That was mean." A quick glance at their faces just showed she made them feel even worse. She shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. Don't misunderstand her, dying _sucks_. It really, really sucks to realize just how much you won't get to experience, but, for the most part, Willa has come to terms with it over the past few months. Now, the worst part is moments like this - random moments in which she watches her family's hearts break all over again.

"Well," Willa said, loudly, "dinner smells wonderful, Mom."

 _Could she be anymore painfully obvious?_

Luckily it did the trick.

Her mother gave one sad smile and went to the kitchen to check on the pork chops.

"What do you need my help with?" She would listen, if nothing else. He was just doing his job, after all. Just following orders.

He brought up a picture on his phone and showed it to her. It was a glowing blue cube that looked very other-worldly. "This is the Tesseract. It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet."

"What do you want me to do? Crush it?"

"It was taken from us a few hours ago."

"That… That's bad."

"Miss Lumaban-"

"How many times have I told you it's Willla.?"

"Willa."

Her eyes widened. Did he actually just listen to her? He's always insisted on "Miss Lumaban at least until you call me Phil."

"Willa, I realize we have no right to ask this of you, but it is a worldwide threat. If you will decline, we, of course, will find a suitable substitute."

"Mr. Age - _Phil_ ," - if he was breaking tradition and skipping formalities, so was she - "don't be like that. It's still me, after all, poison or no. No need for all the… " she flailed her arms for a moment, trying to find the right word or act if out somehow, "weirdness, formal-ness, apologetic-ness. And besides, I told SHIELD to inform me if my family was in any danger and, as Earthlings, I believe this counts."

"So you'll help."

"I guess. Want to stay for dinner?"

"I couldn't impose."

"I'm sure Mom won't mind. When was the last time you had a home-cooked meal?"

"I really have a lot to do."

"Which you can't finish until you finish your mission to collect me, which you will not successfully complete until dinner is over because I'm not leaving until I'm full."


	2. Chapter 2

**This one's a bit (a lot) longer than the on before. Please give me feedback.**

In his car on the way to the plane, Agent Coulson further briefed Willa, which effectively caused her a headache.

"He is mind-controlling Hawkeye?"

"Yes."

" _Hawkeye_?"

"I'm sorry. I know you are friends."

"Is… is there a way to get him back?"

"We don't know."

The car slowed to a stop at a red light and Agent Coulson turned to look at her. "You know what you have to do if it comes down to it, don't you?"

Willa looked straight ahead at the road. "I know. I don't know if I _can_ , but I know."

"When you convince Dr. Banner to help-"

"Wait," she interrupted. " _What_?"

"When-"

"I heard you. What do you mean _when I convince him_? Why can't you do the talking?"

"I won't be there. I'm talking to Stark."

"Wait, I'm going in alone?"

"No." He looked at her oddly, as if he thought she was being a little slow today. "You'll be going with a SHIELD strike team shadowing you."

"But I thought you were coming."

"I can't. I have to convince Stark to help."

"So I have to _somehow_ convince the doctor, what's-his-face - "

"Banner."

"Whatever. I have to somehow convince Dr. Banner to work with SHIELD _by myself_?"

"Is that a problem?"

"I - uh, no, but… I mean, what do I say?"

"Just be honest. You have nothing to lie about."

"But I-I don't know how to talk to people!"

"You talk to me."

"Not well! Should I be looking at you or the road? When does looking turn into staring? How much is too much eye contact? Is-"

"Stop making me laugh! I'm trying to drive!"

"- my expression politely interested or too eager? Do I look bored or neutral?! I don't know! Stop laughing at me, Phil!"

He swerved to avoid a green truck, still chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I'll be the one laughing when you crash your beloved Lola."

"O-Only you would me nervous to meet the _Hulk_ because you're shy."

Willa tried to scowl, she did, but whenever she is embarrassed or nervous she smiles and/or giggles involuntarily. So when their laughter finally died down, Willa asked if Thor was around.

"No. We don't know where he is."

"Loki…" she mused, slumping in her seat and looking up at the ceiling in thought. She had read up on Norse myths after the incident in New Mexico. (She had gone with Agent Coulson on that particular assignment. They wanted to see if she could lift the Hammer with her… unique abilities… She couldn't.) Most of the information had gone in one ear and out the other. She was much more interested in Greek and Roman myths (probably thanks to Rick Riordan). But Loki sounded quite familiar…

She shot up in her seat. "He's the guy who gave birth to a horse!"

"We don't know how much of that story is myth and how much is fact."

"He gave birth to a horse! That… that is wrong on so many different levels! Ew. _Wrong!_ _So_ many levels of _wrong._ "

They stopped in the middle of nowhere and their stood waiting two jets, one to take Agent Coulson to New York and the other to take Willa to Asia.

"You haven't told me what to say," she reminded him.

"Are you still worried about that?"

She groaned dramatically in answer.

"Be yourself. You're very likable."

"Doubt it."

Out of one jet came a male agent with a sniper in one hand. Agent Coulson introduced him as Agent Garcia, leader of the STRIKE team accompanying her.

"Um, everyone does realize that bringing guns to a recruitment is pretty counterproductive, right?"

"It's a necessary precaution," Agent Garcia said, "Just in case things get ugly."

Willa nodded understandingly. "So everyone does realize it. As long as we're all aware it's a bad idea."

Agent Garcia scoffed. "Bad idea? The guy destroyed Harlem."

" _Because_ people pointed guns at him. Yes, by all means, use _that_ instance to support your argument."

Agent Coulson just shook in head. "Miss Lumaban."

"Yes?"

"Get in the jet."

She did just that, sulking a little. No one ever took her seriously when she called them out on their bull or idiocy. She pulled herself out of her funk when she realized her comeback was actually pretty smooth compared to her usual. "Yes, by all means, use _that_ instance" was not bad at all. Of course, "example" would have been a better word than instance…

She continued replaying that little disagreement with better and better comebacks and supporting evidence as she got in a seat and buckled up, being steadily ignored by the STRIKE team around her.

They were halfway there and Willa was writing a scene in her notebook. She loves writing stories and was just getting into her stride when she was interrupted.

"Excuse me, Miss Lumaban."

She looked up, hiding irritation at being interrupted and surprise at being addressed at all. Standing there was a woman with a slight unibrow, waiting to be acknowledged.

"Yes?"

"Some of the other agents and I were wondering if you've read Dr. Banner's file."

Really? This is what she was interrupting her for? She is going to forget her next sentence for _this_?

"Yes, I have read the file. It's a part of my job, you see."

"So you know about Dr. Banner's… situation?"

 _Yes, I can read English, thanks_ , she mentally snarked but aloud said, "Yes, I am aware."

"... You do not seem nervous."

"I'm not."

"Miss Lumaban," she said gently. "I realize you are confident in your abilities, but surely you are aware of the danger you'll be in?"

Willa leaned back in her seat, abandoning her notebook for the time being. "They haven't told you what I can do, have they?"

"It's classified. We were told you have some unnatural talents."

She smirked. "You don't know the half of it, Ms. Agent. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

She didn't look abated in the slightest. Willa waited for her to either return to her seat or demand answers, but she didn't. She just continued to look worried. Willa took pity on her. She looked so concerned about letting a child into the line of fire. She was probably a mom or something.

"Hand me that penny there on the ground, please."

The agent, confused, did so and Willa held it between her thumb and index finger and crushed it completely flat. All the murmured conversations going on ceased, everyone giving Willa their full attention.

"That's not all," Willa said, not looking away from the ruined penny. "You can shoot me with that gun you have on your hip, and it will result in nothing but a crushed bullet. I'll be fine, Ms. Agent."

Willa didn't look away from the penny as the agent's footsteps signalled she had gone or as the conversations picked up again. Eventually she tossed it away and looked back at her notebook, but she couldn't write now. She was too distracted.

She was of the opinion her powers were absolutely amazing. It's too bad they were killing her.

* * *

Willa played on her phone as she waited - or rather, she tapped furiously on her screen, trying to get cell service through pure force of stubbornness.

" _They are approaching,_ " a voice in her ear said.

The little girl Agent Garcia paid to get Dr. Banner dashed in and scampered out through the window. Willa slipped her phone in her back pocket as the man of the hour ran in.

"Shoulda gotten paid up front, Banner," he muttered to himself.

Willa thought he certainly didn't look like someone hiding a giant alter ego, but then again she didn't really have a point of reference. To her, he seemed old - older than her father.

"Something tells me you don't do it for the money," she said, making him jump and spin around to face her. "Sorry, if I startled you." She put her hands in her front pockets, at a loss what to do with them without her phone. "I just couldn't deny myself a dramatic entrance. I felt like Batman."

"Do all agencies employ so many little girls or just your's?"

She kept herself from taking offence at being referred to as a "little girl" and instead answered the question: "I imagine so. We're easy to underestimate. I couldn't say for sure, though. I only ever have to deal with this one."

"You brought me to the edge of the city, smart. I, uh… assume the whole place is surrounded?"

Willa grinned awkwardly, rocking back and forth on her feet. "Caught us. For the record, though, I'd like to say I _told_ them that surrounding someone we're trying to get on our side is counterproductive, but did they listen to me? Of course not, I'm just a kid! Nevermind the fact I could kill them nearly effortlessly. They only remember that when it's inconvenient for me."

"Kill them?"

Willa tilted her head to the side. "Well, I could, but I have morals so I won't." Willa laughed at Dr. Banner's incredulous expression. "Did you really think you were the only one to attempt and fail to recreate to super-soldier serum?"

For several long moments, Dr. Banner did nothing but stare at her, stunned.

"... Do you turn into a large alter ego, too?"

"Nah." She grinned. "I break things looking just like this - which some say is even scarier."

"Do you have complete control?"

"Fortunately."

"So they succeeded?" he asked, amazed.

"I'm not exactly what he was shooting for, I'd wager, but I get the job done."

He looked at her in silent question, but she didn't answer. He changed the subject, wisely. "Ah, are you here to kill me? Because that's not gonna work out for everyone."

"As interesting as a brawl with the Hulk would be, I'm actually here for SHIELD," she said.

"SHIELD. How did they find me?"

"I don't know exactly. I'm just the messenger you see. I'm not even an agent. I'm retired for, ah, personal reasons. But apparently they've been keeping a few less pleasant people off your back."

"Why?"

"Director Nick Fury seems to like you. Not trust you - he wouldn't trust a helpless baby - but he likes you."

"Uh-huh, why?"

"Uh… I dunno he's weird. I mean, I like you, of course, but he's never met you." She shifted from foot to foot again. _Awkward_ , she thought, _I've made things awkward yet again._

Dr. Banner looked distinctly amused. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot to introduce myself: my name is Willa." She extended a hand, taking a step forward.

He paused a moment, and she felt him surveying her. Her posture was open, hand outstretched, and expression friendly - or at least that's what she was going for. With her luck, she was coming across as demented.

He closed the remaining gap and shook her hand. "Willa… no last name?"

"No last name," she agreed then shook her head. "Nevermind, Agent Garcia's going to give you my file anyway so there's no point in pretending to be interesting. It's Willa Paris Lumaban."

"And if I refuse to come in?"

"Um… I'll get in trouble because persuading you is literally my one job."

Dr. Banner frowned. "What kind of trouble?"

"Fury will give me an annoyed, superior look and be like, 'Miss Lumaban, I understand you failed to collect Dr. Banner. Care to explain _how_ that happened?' And I'll be like, 'I'm _shy_ and you made me talk to a stranger. How was I supposed to persuade him anyway? No one ever taught me that. I just protect things and occasionally smash them beyond all recognition. Socializing was _not_ in the job description.' He'll huff and puff in annoyance, not pay me, and then send Natasha and _she'll_ persuade you. Probably in a very flirty manner. But either way, you'll be convinced."

He laughed but then suddenly turned serious. "And if the Other Guy says no?"

"You've gone a long time without an accident. I'm sure you can make it a little longer."

"I don't always get what I want." His expression momentarily morphed into something unbearably sad and her heart went out to him.

"Should the Other Guy make an appearance… Well, there's a very good reason I'm preferred over master assassins."

Again, he looked at her questioningly. Again, she didn't answer.

"What do you need my help for?"

"We are facing a worldwide threat."

"Well, those I do my best to avoid."

"Hold on a sec…" Willa got her phone out and showed him the picture. "This is called the Tesseract. It can theoretically destroy Earth as we know it."

He peered at it. "What does Fury want me to do? Swallow it?"

Willa laughed. When Dr. Banner looked at her oddly she explained, "It's just that I said something really similar when Mr. Agent Coulson told me. Anyway, he actually wants you to find it. Apparently, it gives off a small bit of gamma radiation - not enough for our brainiacs to trace - but maybe you can?"

"So Fury isn't after the monster?"

"Not that anyone's told me."

"And they tell you everything?"

"Well, no. But if they were going to put you in a cage, they certainly wouldn't send me to fetch you. They are well aware I'd throw a Hulk-sized fit if they did anything too… immoral."

"STOP LYING TO ME!" he thundered, face twisted in rage.

She jumped sky high and barely kept herself from reflexively flinging him into the wall. Instead she innocently put her hands in surrender.

It looked like she put herself at his mercy - she didn't. Invisible, invincible shields covered every inch of her skin, protecting her perfectly from anything, including an angry Hulk.

"I'm not lying," she said as evenly as she could with a racing heart. "I'm dead serious."

When she took in his expression again it was completely devoid of any anger, only an expression she couldn't identify.

"I'm sorry," he said, raising his own hands. "That was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do."

They both let their hands fall, and Willa let out a sigh. She smiled in relief. "Maybe, in another life you could've been a spy for SHIELD. That was some stellar acting."

"Sorry."

Willa shrugged. She didn't really hold grudges. "No problem. I wouldn't trust me either. Did I pass your little test?"

"You really aren't lying, are you?"

She shook her head.

"But are they?"

"Talk to Fury yourself. We need you to come in."

Suddenly a gunshot pierced the air and blood was soaking through Dr. Banner's shirt and Willa's shield's rose protecting the doctor protectively - but a second too late.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm not completely happy with this one. Tell me what you think.**

Chapter Three

Dr. Banner fell to his knees, clutching his bleeding arm protectively, and Willa was by his side in an instant.

"Dr. Banner? That… That's a lot of blood…"

He looked up at her, eyes flashing from brown to green and back again as he tried to fight it off.

"Will…" he said weakly and trembled, skin going green. "Run… Go…"

She did no such thing. She backed away a few paces, and, through the comm, she demanded who shot.

" _It was an accident. One of the newer recruits,_ " Agent Garcia said. " _We're going in_."

" _No. You've had your chance. Go set up a perimeter or something_."

In front of her, Dr. Banner's feeble grip over himself was lost and his transformation completed. He towered over Willa, head touching the ceiling, and his shoulders seemed as broad as she was tall.

She was absolutely frozen with fear, eyes wide.

 _He can't hurt you_ , she reminded herself. _You are invincible. Literally. Calm yourself_.

It didn't help much. ( _He was just so gosh-darn big…_ ) But she got a bit of a grip on herself and checked her shields. They were up and powerful as ever.

 _You're shields will hold_ , she reminded herself, _They protected you from a 50 story drop. They can handle a little bit of roughhousing._

She tried for placating. "D-D-Dr. B-Banner - "

She was cut off when he brought his two huge fists up and then brought them down on either side of her. The floor under her broke, and she fell on her knees.

"Okay," she muttered. "So you don't like that name. That's fine." She spoke up. "Is it Hulk then? Is that your name?"

He ignored her, like he thought the small person knocked on the ground was no threat, and started destroying the place, roaring savagely all the while.

While he was otherwise occupied, she got on the comms, eyes never leaving him. _"You guys better be far from here. He is not happy_."

 _"We have our orders. We have to fight him_."

" _No,_ " she said. " _Do not engage. Don't you dare. You got him into this mess. You will not hurt him for it_."

" _It's a monster_!"

" _Shut the hell up and do as I say. You can't fight him like I can. Stay out of the way_."

"Hey, Hulk?!" she shouted. "Hey, can I talk to Banner? I need his help with something!"

He continued to demolish the place (at a much slower pace than Harlem), not listening to her at all.

"HEY, HULK! I NEED BANNER'S HELP WITH SOMETHING!"

Okay, so that probably wasn't her best idea. He halted his destructive fun and looked at her. Taking him in, Willa wished she had kept her trap shut.

In a single stride, he was directly in front of her. Then, he sucked in a breath and roared. Her ears ached with the noise and her hair ruffled and her eyes watered from the wind and - _ew, gross_ \- spittle splattered on her cheek.

She inhaled slowly - not unlike a mother trying to find patience when her toddler throws a tantrum in the middle of the supermarket - and let her breath out, swiping the spit off her face.

Then she did something rather foolish. No, not foolish. Worse than that. Insane. Mad. Crazy. Stupid. Something absolutely mental.

She roared back.

It wasn't very impressive. It had more likeness to a infuriated cub than an dangerous tiger. Especially since her throat was so tight - you know, terror and all that.

Hulk and Willa stood frozen for a moment, both equally surprised at her gall and idiocy. Then a huge booming sound burst from his mouth, and after a moment, Willa realized he was laughing.

Relief filled her. So he wasn't a mindless beast at all.

"Tiny girl," Hulk growled out. "Stupid brave."

"You can talk?"

In answer, he swung at her. She clenched her fists and resisted the urge to duck as a show of strength. In the split second before contact, her confidence in her shields wavered, and a sense of relief and calm overtook her. She was going to die. Not slowly, of a sickness eating her from the inside, but quickly, on impact - like ripping off a bandage. But when the fist collided with her face, it was just a tap on her shields. Momentarily, she was disappointed, but she waved the feeling away. _I'm not supposed to think that._

He roared in pain then stared at his hand with a dumbfounded expression.

"Uh… sorry?"

"HULK SMASH!"

He continued to hit her. Each hit got a little stronger, as his frustration grew, and in turn the pressure increased. On the seventh try - which felt like a friendly punch on the arm - she had enough.

"Good try, really. 'A' for effort!" she yelled. "But you can't hurt me so can you just save us both the trouble -"

A right hook strong enough to crush a car momentarily interrupted.

"- and CUT IT OUT!"

He roared in her face again, and again, she roared back, this time with a lot more force behind it.

"Hurt Banner," he said.

"It wasn't me! It was someone else!"

He huffed. "Hulk know that." And he turned around - _just ignored her, the nerve of him_ \- and started for the east wall, where the bullet originated from.

"Wait! No!" She sprinted in front of him and stood in his path. "It wasn't his fault! It was an accident!" She prayed what she said was true. If Fury had done that on purpose, she'd punch him again.

He growled at her in warning.

"I'll take care of it," she promised. "I'll make sure Banner isn't hurt again. You know you can't touch me? I'll make Banner the same way. No one will hurt him."

"Hulk smash who hurt Banner!"

"No, please, don't do that! I'll smash him for you. That's what friends do, right? Smash their friends' hurt-ers? Hurt-causers? Whatever. I'll smash him."

"Hulk friend?"

"Absolutely," she answered with confidence. "And if it's too much for me to smash. I'll get Banner to let you out again. Deal?"

Hulk grunted. "Prove."

"Prove it. Yeah, I can do that." She paused. "What am I proving?"

"Smash."

"You want me to smash?" She grinned and gleefully bounced over to the wall. "No one ever lets me do that! SHIELD's all about control. No fun."

Her shields (or force-fields, as SHIELD refers to them) cover every square inch of her, completely invisible to the naked eye, but she visualized them with a bluish tint, like Violet's on " The Incredibles." She morphed the part covering her fists so it looked like she had a Captain America shield connected to each hand. Then, with her mind, she sent the shield crashing into the wall with the force of a semi, and it took her arm along with it so it looked like a powerful punch.

The wall collapsed. Willa nodded to herself, as if to say "yep, that's that" but then the roof started to cave.

 _Oops._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four - (POV of Bruce Banner)

When he woke up, he was sore and miserable and nauseous - the telltale signs of a transformation. He forced his eyes open and saw he was in some sort of small medical room.

"Hi," someone said, and he looked around to see it was that spy-girl, Willa, leaning against the wall with a green backpack slung over one shoulder.

Bruce shot up in bed. "Did I hurt anyone?"

"You asked that already, when you first transformed back," she said, and he vaguely remembered something of that nature but he had been so _tired_. "But no one was hurt."

"You were there." He could see it clear as day in his mind's eye: his vision tinting green as The Other Guy rose to the surface, angry from the pain, and the blood dripping down his arm while Willa darted forward, looking for all the world she wanted to help stop the bleeding but didn't know how. "He… The Other Guy… He didn't attack you?"

"He didn't hurt me," she said, and Bruce noted that she hadn't actually answered the question.

"Where… Where are we?"

"On the way to headquarters, we're in a plane."

"Oh."

"Do you feel okay? Do you need an Advil or something?"

There is something wrong with this picture, he realized. He's not hooked up to a dozen different machines, all designed to take in any information they can get on the Other Guy. He's not strapped down. He's not being experimented on. He's just… laying on the bed, blanket thrown over him, being asked if he wants pain meds.

"Uh… I'm fine," he says.

"You sure?"

Bruce nodded. He was still achy, but he'd had worse before. This is nothing. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and she slowly dragged a chair from the corner of the room so she was facing him. For the first time, he noticed she looked awfully pale (not in a terrified sort of way, but in a I'm-so-nauseous -I'm-gonna-puke sort of way). Her hands were shaking quite noticeably and she was gripping the chair so tightly her knuckles were white.

"So I met the Hulk," she said, completely offhandedly, like how someone her age might say "So I met Mike." She pretty much collapsed into the chair, her breaths slow and precise, like she was putting her utmost effort into it.

"Did he destroy the village?" he asked worriedly.

"Nah, he was pretty chill, you know, for a guy who is supposed to be a mindless beast. He destroyed the house, but he _may_ have had a little help from me. He even gave me a nickname afterward."

"A… A nickname?"

"Tiny Hulk."

"Tiny Hulk," he repeated.

"That's what the big guy said."

"For some reason, I don't believe you."

"Well, fine then. Wallow in your self-hatred and continue in your belief you destroyed everyone and everything even though I am sitting right here in front of you in one piece."

"Speaking of," Bruce said, "Why _are_ you in one piece, though not exactly well?"

"I told you. You're not the only one to try to recreate the serum. Dr. Kyle Chips made a serum and gave it to his willing subject, a Milo Davis. Unfortunately for all involved it didn't work. Davis was indeed very… violently gifted after the serum, but then he killed three co-workers, _friends_ , on a whim. They put down Davis and shut Dr. Chips down, and Dr. Chips became a pharmacist in a nowhere-town. But that was his life's work they shut down - he was angry, and he kept working. He made another serum and injected himself. It did not change his appearance or ability, but whatever morals he held were wiped out. Without human emotions to prevent him, he continued his experiments on kidnapped children. I was one of those children."

"Children?" he asked faintly.

"Yes. The only ones to survive were me and two others, who both died in the struggle to escape him."

"What did it do?" he finally asked. "Fully functioning tanks don't survive the Other Guy."

Instead of answering, she pulled out a pocket knife.

"What are you doing?"

She made to stab herself in the arm, and though Bruce yelled in panic, she ignored him. The sharp end of the weapon was thrust straight to her forearm.

 _Clang!_ It broke on contact. Chest heaving and heart racing in panic, Bruce stared dumbfounded at the blade which was in several pieces on the ground.

"The serum gave me an impenetrable shield over my skin." He heard her say.

He cursed. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Or are you just so eager to see The Other Guy again?"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't mind seeing him again. Nothing can hurt me, remember?"

"Even the 30000 foot drop when the plane is destroyed?"

"Even the 30000 foot drop," she said, nodding. Then she frowned. "The pilot probably wouldn't appreciate it though."

He gave her a stern look. "Exactly. Be careful, Willa." _Wow, he sounded like a lecturing parent._

"You're a doctor," she said. "You're fine."

He shook his head. "So, ah, who shot me?"

"You're just now asking that?" She exhaled sharply through her nose. "That sounds like it'd be pretty high-priority to me."

"Who was it?"

"Apparently." She scowled. " _Apparently,_ one of the newer recruits had a malfunctioning gun. He wasn't even supposed to be pointing his gun at anything but the ground. Idiot. I hope he gets fired."

"He didn't do it on purpose?" Bruce asked skeptically.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. He _might've,_ but I don't think so. Then again, I'm rarely perseptive."

He nodded and wondered if Willa was being played by SHIELD. She was young and that made her more susceptible to manipulations… Then again, he failed to see how SHIELD could physically overpower her if she could take the Hulk.

"You look sick," he said.

"I am sick."

"Flu?"

She smiled weakly. "I wish."

She didn't offer any more information, and Bruce wasn't exactly sure how to ask, but he said, "Can I help?"

"I don't think so. Thank you though, Dr. Banner. Besides we have higher priorities." She pulled out a manila folder from her backpack and handed it to him. "Read up. We're three hours out, and they'll be expecting your help the minute we get there."

She stood up shakily and staggered toward the bed. Bruce helped her walk over, take off her backpack, and crawl into bed.

"Sorry, to… to steal your spot," she mumbled.

"It's fine. You sure I can't help?"

"Maybe later. Read. No worries, Dr. Banner. I'm jus' dizzy. I have a doctor at the base."

Bruce nodded, unsure, and sat in the chair. "You can call me Bruce, you know."

"Okay, Dr. Bruce."

For a few minutes, he read in silence. This stuff is crazy. Unbelievable. Norse gods?

"Bruce?" a soft voice asked and he looked over at Willa, worried.

"Yes?"

"One good thing came out of Hulk's visit."

"Oh?" He couldn't imagine what.

"While you were unconscious, I convinced SHIELD that you were angry about getting shot and wouldn't budge from your spot until someone sent doctors to Calcutta in your place."

"Really?"

"Yeah. S'not very fair of us to steal their doctor, is it?"

"Thank you, Willa. Go to sleep, you're ill. What was SHIELD thinking sending you while you're sick anyway?"

She shrugged a little and closed her eyes. Bruce went back to reading.

* * *

(POV of Willa Lumaban)

Willa woke up feeling a lot better and rather embarrassed that Bruce had practically tucked her in.

The subject of her thoughts was still reading in her previous spot, frowning as he examined the report and too absorbed to realize she was awake.

"Some crazy stuff, innit?" she said, making him jump.

"Yeah, yeah. Is this for real?"

She shrugged. "Well, I've actually met Loki's brother, Thor, so I have no reason to doubt."

"Your file doesn't have any medical conditions listed."

"I asked Fury to exclude it. I'm glad to know he respected that."

"He didn't do that for anyone else. Apparently I have a bit of a split personality disorder." His sarcasm made Willa laugh.

"I guess you have to know the right people," she said and sat up in bed. "How long was I out?"

"I don't know, but according to Agent Garcia we're about half an hour out."

"Hmm." She stretched and then pulled a notebook out of her backpack and started working on a character chart for her OC in her Harry Potter fanfiction.

"What's the rush?"" Bruce asked.

"Hmm?"

"You're writing like there's no tomorrow."

"Oh." So she was. It was one of her greatest fears, to die without leaving anything behind to be proud of. Ever since she had been given the news, she has been rushing to finish all her stories. "I have a deadline to meet."

Bruce didn't question her further, for which she was grateful.

Once they landed, Willa and Bruce got off the plane and found themselves on the helicarrier. Willa looked around feeling rather nostalgic all of a sudden. She used to spend so much of her time here before diagnosis. She had been so eager to use her new power to help people after the… horrific way they had come to be. So eager, so naive… So willing to help she allowed herself to be used by SHIELD once she was sure it'd save lives in the end. She knowingly let herself become a child soldier.

"Willa?"

She blinked and forced herself back to the present. "Mhmm?"

"Do… Do you know where we're supposed to go?"

"Um…Fury'll probably want you on the bridge… Oh, nevermind there's Natasha. She always knows what's going on, let's ask her."

Natasha Romanoff was making her way across the deck, hips swaying and short red hair floating gracefully in the breeze. Willa ran her fingers through her own hair, which was in terrible disarray from the wind. How the heck does Natasha always look perfect? Not fair. Not fair at all.

Willa and Bruce started walking in her direction but people kept getting in their way.

"Excuse me! Pardon me!" Willa said politely, smiling at the agents, who didn't do a thing to get out of the way, the bas- no, wait, cussing is bad - loblollies. And, _yes,_ that is a real word. It means rude person.

Eventually, they made it to Natasha.

"Hello, Miss Agent Natasha," she said. Natasha looked at her in that analyzing way of her's, which has never failed to make Willa nervous, invincibility or no. But there was something slightly off about "the look" this time… a certain element of pity. Willa really shouldn't be surprised. Abruptly going into retirement before even reaching 20 is rather suspicious. The Black Widow would have made it her business to investigate.

"Hello, Agent Lumaban-"

"Ex-Agent."

"Right." She turned to Bruce and nodded. "Dr. banner."

"Uh… yeah, that's me."

Worryingly near them, a jet started to land.

"Shouldn't we move?" Willa asked.

"We're fine," Natasha said serenely.

The jet landed (dramatically close to them) and out came Agent Coulson and a blond man in plaid. Once Willa and Bruce took them in, they realized Natasha was already halfway to them. They scrambled to keep up.

"They need you on the bridge," Natasha told Agent Coulson.

"See you there." Agent Coulson left.

"Dr. Banner," the blond man greeted Bruce and shook his hand.

"Oh, yeah. Hi. They told me you'd be coming."

Willa frowned. "We did?"

Bruce looked at her worriedly. "Yeah, it was in the report. The one you gave me…"

"Oh, right." She grinned. "You're Captain America. Didn't recognize you without the suit. I like the jacket."

"Thanks. You must be Agent Lumaban. I imagined you… older."

She shrugged. "Most people do. It's just Willa - I'm retired."

"How old _are_ you?" he asked, looking very confused.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that it's rude to ask a lady that?"

"Sorry. I was just under the impression child labor was still illegal."

"You'll find that people like us - people with something a little _extra_ \- are often not subject to the same rules as everyone else."

"She's treated very humanely, Captain, I assure you," Natasha cut in. "Grown men would kill to have her paycheck."

"Isn't that what I do for my paycheck?"

He looked like he wanted to argue the morality of that, but instead he let it go (for now) and turned to Bruce.

"Word is you can find the cube."

"Is that the only word on me?" Bruce asked.

"The only one I care about."

Bruce said nothing for a moment, taking in the sentiment. "Must be strange for you, all of this."

"Well," he said, looking at the passing agents. "This is kind of familiar."

"Gentlemen," Natasha said, "you may wanna step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breathe."

Willa pouted. "I feel left out. Don't you want me to be able to breathe, Nat? And I thought you cared."

"Don't call me that," she said with a frigid glare.

Willa put her hands up innocently. "Sure thing, ma'am."

The ground started shaking as the helicarrier prepares to move.

"Is this a submarine?" Captain America asked.

"Really?" Bruce asked. "They wanted me on a submerged pressurized metal container?"

"It's not a submarine, thank heaven," Willa said. "That would be terrifying. Hundreds of pounds of water hovering over our heads? Awful."

The helicarrier begins to ascend. Bruce smiles nervously. "Oh, no. This is way worse."

Willa failed to see how flying was worse but shrugged and followed the others inside. She groaned aloud at the familiar hallways.

"What?" Bruce asked.

"I always get lost on this stupid thing!"

Natasha smirked. Bit- er, jerk.


End file.
